Apparatus for feeding continuous webs of stationery



Dec. 1, 19.64 P. E. GOREHAM APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF STATIONERY Filed March 8, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 lol lol I I L01 101) jmffi Mm @454 M A TTOR VEYS Dec. 1, 1964 P. E. GOREHAM 3,159,263 V APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF STATIONERY Filed March 8. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A VEA/ 702 Desi 1, 1964 P. E. GOREHAM APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF STATIONERY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 8, 1961 Dec. 1, 1964 P. E. GOREHAM 3,159,263

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF STATIONERY- 5 Sheets-Sheec 4 Filed March 8, 1961 m r/m/me Dec. 1, 1964 P. E. GOREHAM 3,159,263

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS WEBS OF STATIONERY Filed March 8. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Kam a4; WMM/JZ ATTOE/VA-VS United States Patent 3,159,263 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING (IGNTlNUQUS WEB?) 0F TATIONERY Peter E. Goreham, Herne Bay, Kent, England, assignor to Moore Business Forms, lno, Niagara Falls, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 94,292 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 16, 196i 9,274/60 2 Claims. (Cl. 197-133) This invention has reference to apparatus for feeding continuous webs of stationery to a typewriter or the like machine.

In typewriters it is known to have mechanism which rotates the platen, for example, a single space, to feed the continuous stationery one line. It is also known to provide typewriter mechanism which will continue to rotate the platen and hence feed the stationery, while a line feed key remains depressed.

In typing continuous stationery webs it is required to type certain data at the top of a form length and then throw or long feed the stationery web to a second position whereat further data is typed. The web is then fed to a further position whereat for example, information is typed. When all the information is typed the web is again fed to the first typing position on the succeeding form length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous stationery web feeding device suitable for attachment to the carriage of a typewriter.

It is another object of the invention to provide a feedingdevice for a continuous Web of stationery with the feeding device being controlled so that the stationery is arrested at predetermined positions on each form length as required.

According to the present invention apparatus for feeding continuous stationery in a typewriter or the like machine comprises pin feed mechanisms for feeding the continuous stationery, means for feeding an endless belt bearing indicia corresponding to predetermined form positions in synchronis'm with the continuous stationery so that the endless belt is completely fed once each time one or more form lengths of the continuous stationery is fed, electric sole .oid means to drive the pin feed mechanism with a step-by-step motion, electric control means for the solenoid means and a sensing device to sense the indicia on the endless belt to actuate the control means.

Continuous stationery feeding apparatus will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the driving mechanism with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sensing unit with the door open;

FIG. 4 is a view of an endless band for use in the sensing unit;

FIG. 5 is another view (partly cut away) of the sensing mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a View of a guide for the stationery;

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the electrical control circuit; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a length of continuous stationery.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown an apparatus for use with a typewriter platen having the usual platen shaft. A pair of brackets a are mounted to engage the platen shaft at each end of the platen. The lower part of each bracket has a slot 22 to engage the platen shaft. A drive shaft 0 and a supporting cross bar d is secured between the brackets a and a pair of endless belt pin feed tractors e is mounted on the cross bar :1 and driven by the drive ice shaft 0. These tractors may be as disclosed in the Castleton US. Patent 3,073,497 of January 15, 1963 in which each comprises a body mounted on the supporting cross bar d with a drive sprocket rotatably keyed on to the drive shaft 0 which in turn is rotatably mounted on the body. The teeth of the sprocket engage in the links of the tractor which links are joined in the form of an endless chain. Each link carries a feed pin g which engages in a marginal feed perforation 31 of the continuous stationery 39 (FIG. 8) so that as the drive shaft is rotated the tractor will become operative to feed the stationery.

A casing h is mounted on the left hand supporting bracket, and an electric solenoid means 1' (FIG. 2) is secured within this casing h. The solenoid means j comprises a solenoid whose armature is connected to a plate k having ball receiving sockets defined by bottoms l on which balls (not shown) housed within the respective sockets are free to move. These balls project from their respective recesses toward the adjacent end of the housing or casing of solenoid 1' so that as the armature is attracted by the solenoid, the resulting axial compressing action on the balls between the casing of the solenoid and the inclined bottoms l of their respective sockets imparts rotary movement to the plate It and also to the armature connected thereto, as well as to the wheel m which is connected to and moves with the armature. The number and disposition of the recesses and balls is such that at least one ball will be urged by gravity to the shallow end of its recess so that at least one such ball will be operatively positioned at all times to cause rotary movement of the armature responsive to axial movement thereof. At the end of its movement, the armature is deenergized through opening of an armature switch 29 connected in the circuit of the solenoid winding. The armature is connected to a dish-shaped rotary toothed wheel m which moves axially with the armature when the lat ter is attracted by the solenoid. At the inception of its axial movement this toothed wheel in operatively engages a similar driven toothed wheel n from which it is normally disengaged. it should be noted that the arrangement of the teeth on these wheels in and n is such that between them they constitute a unidirectional drive coupling in which the teeth have abruptly presented faces for operative engagement during rotation in one direction and gradually inclined faces to disengage the two wheels during relative rotation in a reverse direction. The driven toothed wheel 11, which is rotatable but not axially movable, is driven one step for each energisation of the solenoid armature. The driven toothed wheel is connected to a toothed wheel 0 which cooperates with a spring loaded catch, or in other words a conventional detent which engages in the notches between its teeth (not shown) to en sure a single step movement and through a gear train p and p with the drive shaft 0 so that each time the rotary solenoid is energised the drive shaft will be rotated one step.

A pin wheel feed s for an endless band tape and a photo-electric sensing mechanism t is mounted on the right hand side supporting bracket a. This comprises a box v in which is mounted a rotatable cylinder with pins x. The cylinder is mounted on a shaft ill which is connected at one end through gearing ll (PKG. 5) to the drive shaft 0 and is rotatable therewith. The other end of the shaft in extends outside the covering box v and has a knurled head 12. The shaft in is movable axially against spring pressure so that the last gear of the gearing 11 may be disconnected from the gear train temporarily so that the position of the endless band may be aligned with the contiuous stationery when desired. Because there is normally a driving connection between this wheel shaft in and the tractors e the continuous stationery may be fed rearwardly by rotating the belt is driven.

Y sistor element't and the light bulb in the box.

arsasas The pins x on the rotatable cylinder are adapted to.

engage in apertures 13a arranged centrally of an endless band tape 13 to feed it. A guide 14 maintains the band in'alignment with the pins x. A light source 15 comprising an electric light bulb is mounted in the box v.

The box has a door it! which houses on its inner face a transistor element which is responsive to light or in other words a photo-transistor and which is connected up in an electric circuit to be described hereinafter and "which constitutes a photo'electric'sensing mechanism 2.

The transistor element i is in line with the light bulb 15. The endless band tape passes between thetransistor elemerit t and the light bulb 15 to cut off the light falling on the transistor element. However when an aperture A pair of carriage return contacts are connected in the circuit to the rotary solenoid j for actuation in any suitable manner, preferably upon each return of the carriage. Bythis means every time a carriage return is made, the rotary solenoid j is energised to feed the continuous stationery one line.

A circuit is made from the negative side of the rectifier circuit 25 to the contacts 25 through the rotary solenoid back to the positive side of the rectifier circuit.

A pair of contacts 28 which form part of a manual control switch located adjacent the typewriter lrey board is connected in series with a Relay R between the posij tive and negative sides of the rectifier circuit 25. The Rein theiendless band passes between the light bulb and thetransistor element light will then be allowedtotall on the transistor element to energise it.

The endless band (FIG. 4) comprises endless belt of paper tape, for example, of 'a width of one inch with aline of feed perforations running centrally and longitudinally thereof, the perforations are spaced to correspond to'the spacing of the pins x on the wheel w. The perforations are engaged by the pins x and by which The band is arranged to be driven through one complete revolution as the tractors drive the continuous stationery for one form length. If desired the forms may be fed two or more form lengths for each complete feed of the endless band.

Aseries of control apertures 15a, 16b, 160 are punched in the endless band '13 so as to pass between the tran- These control apertures are arranged so thatlas the endless band reaches a predetermined position-corresponding to a predetermined position on a form length of continuous stationery 39, the light will pass'from' the light source through the apertures in the box and through lay R has three pairs of normally open contacts. The

second pair R is connected up in series with the transistor photo-electric sensing element 2 and with the coil of a second Relay R This circuit is connectedaacross the rectifier circuit associated with the output of the transformer 24c.

' The transistor element is connected up to the Relay R in a low current circuit. Energisation or" the Relay R closes contacts R to complete a hi her current circuit to the Relay R; which supplies'the higher current to the apertures in the endless band to the transistor element t to energise it. For example, the apertures 16a, 15b, 160

in the band 13 may comprise indicia and correspond to 7 two data typing positions 32, 33, and an information typing position 34 on the continuous stationery (FlG. '9) and serve for energising the transistor element t for arresting the continuous stationery at these respective positions.

A tube 17 is arranged between the brackets and a cable runsthrough this tube to be connected up as: will be hereinafter described.

" A set'of inteed guide plates is Pro. 1 and omfeed guide'plateslQ serve to guide the continuous stationery. These guide plates are mounted on adjustable supporting cross bars 29. The outer infeed guide plates (FIG. 6) are adjustably ,secured'to the cross bar 2% by being mounted on a support block 21 on. which is piv-' A spring 23 urgesthe bar 22' oted a wedge bar 22. V p 7 against'the cross bar 2% to hold ,the plate in position.

'Whenthe bar 22 is pulled againstthe action of the spring 23 the wedge action of the bar 22 is released and the support'block and guide plate are free'to slide on the bar 20. 7 These guide plates and tractors are adjustable crosswise of the typewriter to enable-ditferent Widths of continuous stationery to be accommodated.

sired'voltage to the light bulb 15.

rotary solenoid j. a r

The first contacts. R ofthe Relay R are connected as a hold on circuit for the Relay R and through the first set of contacts R of the-Relay R and back to the negative side of the rectifier circuit; A third circuit is'made through the third set of contacts R of Relay R to the rotary solenoid ,1. Thus on operation of the switch 28 the Relay R will operate and remain energised and thereby permit supply of current to the rotary solenoid until the photo-electric sensing means t is energised which will operate the Relay R to break the contacts R5 to the Relay R and. hence the circuit to the rotary'solenoid is broken to halt feeding of the continuous stationery.

In operation and assuming a continuous stationery Web 'is in position on a typewriter with tractor feed pins 3' engaging the feed perforations at the edges of the Web and the endless band 13 is in position on the pins x so as to feed iri'synchronisrn with thecontinuous stationery 30,

the stationery;is line spaced by the operation of the carthe manual control switch contacts 28 are then operated which energiselthe rotary feed solenoid to feed the con- 'tin'uous stationery and the endless apertured' band in synchronisrn. The feeding continues until at position 33 on the continuous stationery and corresponding position tion, anapcrture in the endless band appears between the light source and the photo-electric sensing means t so that The transformeri c supplies low voltage alternating current 'more particularly for the transistor element 1 while the transformer'ida is'connected to a rectifier circult 25 for supplying full wavev rectified directcurrent to e, opera i g re ay i the sensing means are energised; This causes operation I or" Relay R which opens the contacts R to the hold on This opens contacts R and circuit to the Relay R breaks} the circuit to the rotary solenoid j. The rotary v solenoidthen ceases to operate. The stationery web 3% (and the endless band) is thereby arrested atthis second typing position whereat further data, for example; the

date is typed. This operation is repeated for as manytimes as required, to feed theforrns the required distance from one data typing positionto the next. When this is typed the manual control switch is again operated to throw the stationery web. until the photo-electric means t is again energised at the first information printing position,' -whic hcorresponds to position 35 on the continuous stationery and'position 16c on the-endless band.

The-continuous stationery is thereby'halted atthe' information'printing position in the body of the form length and the information is typed in the usual way and as the carriage is fed each line the switch 26 is closed causing the rotary. solenoid tojbe operated once to feed the to throw the stationery web to the first typing position 3.. on the next succeeding form length.

By using apparatus in accordance with the invention we are thereby able to provide an improved apparatus capable of controlling the feeding of continuous stationery and which can be mounted on a typewriter carriage.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery around the platen of a printing mechanism, comprising: pin feed mechanism for feeding the continuous stationery, an endless belt, means for feeding said endless belt in synchronism with the continuous stationery and through one complete circuit each time a predetermined length of the continuous stationery is fed, the said endless belt having indicia to correspond to predetermined positions on the continuous stationery, electric rotary solenoid means movable through an accurately predetermined range of actuating movement during each energization and spring retracted to a predetermined starting point upon de-energization, manually controllable switch means for effecting energization of said electric rotary solenoid means, in said range of actuating movement corresponding to a single increment of feeding movement of the stationery, said feeding means comprising a unidirectional driving coupling between said electric rotary solenoid means and the pin feed mechanism for operating said pin feed mechanism to feed the continuous stationery one increment each time the electric rotary solenoid means is energized, said coupling being inoperative on retraction movenient of said electric rotary solenoid means, a switch in circuit with said electric rotary solenoid means, means carried by the electric rotary solenoid means for engaging and opening said switch at the conclusion of each actuating movement of said electric rotary solenoid means for de-energizing said electric rotary solenoid means, carriage control contacts in circuit with said electric rotary solenoid means for controlling the energizing of said electric rotary solenoid means, said manually controllable switch means being in circuit with the electric solenoid means independently of the said carriage control contacts and operable when closed to nullify the controlling action of said carriage control contacts, sensing means cooperating with said endless belt and actuated by the indicia thereon, and relay means controlled by said sensing means and operative in response to actuation of said sensing means for disrupting the circuit between said electric rotary solenoid means and said manually controllable switch means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said sensing means comprises a photo transistor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,531,885 Mills et al, Nov. 28, 1950 2,555,732 Dayger et al. June 5, 1951 2,684,746 Bakelaar et al. July 27, 1954 2,863,549 Kelly Dec. 9, 1958 2,884,852 Saltz May 5, 1959 

1. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CONTINUOUS STATIONERY AROUND THE PLATEN OF A PRINTING MECHANISM, COMPRISING: PIN FEED MECHANISM FOR FEEDING THE CONTINUOUS STATIONERY, AN ENDLESS BELT, MEANS FOR FEEDING SAID ENDLESS BELT IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE CONTINUOUS STATIONERY AND THROUGH ONE COMPLETE CIRCUIT EACH TIME A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF THE CONTINUOUS STATIONERY IS FED, THE SAID ENDLESS BELT HAVING INDICIA TO CORRESPOND TO PREDETERMINED POSITIONS ON THE CONTINUOUS STATIONERY, ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS MOVABLE THROUGH AN ACCURATELY PREDETERMINED RANGE OF ACTUATING MOVEMENT DURING EACH ENERGIZATION AND SPRING RETRACTED TO A PREDETERMINED STARTING POINT UPON DE-ENERGIZATION, MANUALLY CONTROLLABLE SWITCH MEANS FOR EFFECTING ENERGIZATION OF SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS, IN SAID RANGE OF ACTUATING MOVEMENT CORRESPONDING TO A SINGLE INCREMENT OF FEEDING MOVEMENT OF THE STATIONERY, SAID FEEDING MEANS COMPRISING A UNIDIRECTIONAL DRIVING COUPLING BETWEEN SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS AND THE PIN FEED MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SAID PIN FEED MECHANISM TO FEED THE CONTINUOUS STATIONERY ONE INCREMENT EACH TIME THE ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS IS ENERGIZED, SAID COUPLING BEING INOPERATIVE ON RETRACTION MOVEMENT OF SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS, A SWITCH IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS, MEANS CARRIED BY THE ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS FOR ENGAGING AND OPENING SAID SWITCH AT THE CONCLUSION OF EACH ACTUATING MOVEMENT OF SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS FOR DE-ENERGIZING SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS, CARRIAGE CONTROL CONTACTS IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ENERGIZING OF SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS, SAID MANUALLY CONTROLLABLE SWITCH MEANS BEING IN CIRCUIT WITH THE ELECTRIC SOLENOID MEANS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE SAID CARRIAGE CONTROL CONTACTS AND OPERABLE WHEN CLOSED TO NULLIFY THE CONTROLLING ACTION OF SAID CARRIAGE CONTROL CONTACTS, SENSING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID ENDLESS BELT AND ACTUATED BY THE INDICIA THEREON, AND RELAY MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID SENSING MEANS AND OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO ACTUATION OF SAID SENSING MEANS FOR DISRUPTING THE CIRCUIT BETWEEN SAID ELECTRIC ROTARY SOLENOID MEANS AND SAID MANUALLY CONTROLLABLE SWITCH MEANS. 